TCU Comeback Downs Broncos at DMC
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FORT WORTH—TCU shook off a 15-point deficit with 10 minutes to play to complete its largest rally since 2008 over Boise State Saturday at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum, 54-52. Freshman guard Kyan Anderson again led the Horned Frogs with a game-high 16 points, and TCU held the Broncos without a basket for more than 11-and-a-half minutes during the comeback.
The win, TCU’s first in Mountain West play this season, moved the squad’s season record to 11-7 overall and 1-2 in MW competition. Boise State dropped to 10-8 overall and 0-3 in the conference.
TCU, desperate for a victory after dropping each of its first two MW contests on the road in the last week, appeared to be headed toward a third straight loss before coming alive late Saturday. BSU, which led by as many as 15 points in the second half, grabbed a 14-point edge, 43-29, on a 3-pointer by forward Thomas Bropleh with 12:38 to play. The basket would prove to be the squad’s last until the final minute of the contest, as the Frogs held the Broncos to only seven points at the free-throw line until a layup by guard Tre’ Nichols with 56.9 seconds remaining.
Trailing by 15 with just over 10 minutes left, Anderson started the rally with a 3-pointer. Following a pair of Bronco free throws, TCU rattled off the next 18 points over a period of 7:36. Senior guard Hank Thorns led the charge with seven points, including the final five that put TCU on top. He first gave the Frogs their first lead since early in the opening half, 52-50, on a 3-pointer from the left wing, then made it a four-point advantage on a layup at the 1:15 mark.
Nichols’ layup inside the final minute ended the Bronco scoring drought while cutting the TCU lead to one possession, but the Frogswere able to withstand a last-second 3-point attempt from Nichols that glanced off the rim at the buzzer. The performance marked the largest deficit overcome by the Frogs in head coach Jim Christian’s four-year TCU tenure.
Anderson led TCU in scoring for the second straight game and the third time overall this season, making 6-of-9 shots from the floor,including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. He almost singlehandedly kept the Frogs in the game while the squad struggled offensively in the opening half, scoring 10 points in the period.
Thorns also reached double figures with 12 points while again coming up
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big in the clutch with 10 following halftime. Saturday marked the seventh time this season that Thorns scored at least 10 points in the second half of a contest. Senior forward Craig Williams chipped in seven points and a team-high six rebounds.
Bright spots were few and far between for TCU throughout much of Saturday’s game before its last-ditch rally. Boise State held the Frogs to only 21 points in the first half and a field-goal percentage of only 28.0 percent (7-of-25) in the period. The Broncos also held a 34-16 rebounding advantage at one point in the second half before finishing with a 40-28 final edge.
Two Broncos scored in double figures in guard Derrick Marks (13 points) and Bropleh (10 points). Marks also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds, although the Frogs were able to hound him into six turnovers.
The two teams started the game slow offensively, combining to make only 4-of-18 field-goal attempts in the game’s opening eight minutes. Boise State shot ahead midway through the period by recording an 11-0 run to claim a 23-16 edge on the Frogs. Guard Anthony Drmic, who finished with nine points, totaled seven during the stretch alone, including his only trey. Guard Jeff Elorriaga helped the Broncos grow their lead to double digits for the first time on a 3-pointer with 3:48 remaining.
The second half did not start any better for TCU, as BSU was able to extend its lead to 15 points, 36-21, on a Kenny Buckner layup and trey by guard Westly Perryman. Junior guard Garlon Green put TCU on the board for the first time in the second half with his only points of the contest, a 3-pointer from the corner, at the 17:14 mark.
TCU continues its two-game homestand Wednesday, when it takes on Air Force at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. Tip-off for the contest, whichwill be televised live by The MountainWest Sports Network (The Mtn.), is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
